Optimization Strategy for Coal Transshipment Terminal Location Selection in the Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River

Through a systematic investigation of the port construction conditions for proposed coal terminals, this study comprehensively evaluates key factors including infrastructure completeness, navigation channel capacity, transportation economy, tariff rationality, and coal storage capacity. With the minimization of construction and transportation costs as the objective function, and the location selection of transshipment terminals and demand allocation as decision variables, a hybrid mixed-integer programming (MIP) model is formulated for coal transshipment terminal location selection in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Multi-dimensional constraints such as terminal service coverage, resource limitations, and geographical conditions are incorporated. To solve the model efficiently, a heuristic algorithm based on a Genetic Algorithm (GA) is designed, effectively handling large-scale problems with complex constraints and ensuring the acquisition of high-quality feasible solutions within a reasonable timeframe.